Six strong contenders have been nominated for the Formex Sustainability Award 2025. This marks the third year that exhibiting companies have had the opportunity to submit their products, and the jury's winner will be announced at the fair in January.
The Formex Sustainability Award was established in 2023 as a way for Formex to promote sustainable development within the interior design industry and to highlight exemplary efforts. The award is structured as a competition, where the Formex jury reviews the submissions, selects nominees, and ultimately chooses a winner.
This year's jury comprises chairperson Maria Soxbo, journalist and co-founder of Klimatklubben, Malin Jensen, interior designer, Maria Lagerman, specialist in circular business models, Emma Olbers, designer, and Daniel Svahn, designer and interior architect.
'This year's nominees are six truly strong entries, with impressive levels of reuse and resource efficiency. It was easy to nominate but challenging to select a winner. Since the award's inception, we can clearly see a trend of increasingly well-thought-out submissions down to the smallest detail,' says Maria Soxbo.
At Formex in January 2025, the six nominated entries will be showcased, and the winning entry will be announced. As in previous years, the winner will receive a unique glass statuette designed by Marie-Louise Hellgren. Additionally, the winner will be granted 10 square meters of free exhibition space at the next Formex.
'We know that sustainability is a deeply engaging topic for many of our exhibitors and has become a natural part of everyone's mindset. We want to encourage our exhibitors to continue thinking sustainably and to be a platform where good examples within the industry can be shared and learned from,' says Sonja Björk Ebert, Project Manager for Formex.
Nominees for the Formex Sustainability Award 2025
Light Arch – GAZ.T Wood & Art
A timeless light arch produced on a small scale – 20 pieces per year. The arch is crafted from salvaged birch plywood scraps from a small factory in Ödeshög, while the horses are made from unsellable pieces of birch felled by an arborist in the Gothenburg area. The horses' shapes are created using a CNC milling machine, with details carved by hand, and the leftover wood is turned into jewellery. The light arch is treated with wax, and any broken part can be replaced. The production uses renewable energy, mainly solar power. The inspiration from the founder's grandfather's handmade candlestick is a delightful bonus.
Clog Fårö – Hol Studio/Träskofabriken
Unsellable sheepskins from Stockholm City Mission and discarded bicycle and motocross tires form the basis of Hol Studio's Fårö clog. Crafted with skill, the base is made from hand-picked wood from the studio's own forest and reinforced with scraps and third-grade vegetable-tanned split suede from Tärnsjö Tannery's furniture industry. The small-scale production at Holgården in Siljansnäs prioritizes reuse, and customers can always have their shoes repaired to extend their lifespan.
Bread Bag Bento of Beeswax – oWaster
A chemical-free bread bag made from upcycled cotton sheets impregnated with beeswax from local, organic bee-keepers and dyed with onion skins. Handmade in Järna, every step is based on local, organic, and fossil-free resources. The naturally antibacterial properties of beeswax keep bread fresh longer, and the surface can be refreshed over time. The bag is a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bags, reducing waste by reusing discarded textiles. All components, including the thread made of organic cotton, are compostable when the bag is no longer usable.
Household Soap Skina – Tvåla & Tvaga
Tvåla & Tvaga's household soap, made from saponified organic oils, serves multiple purposes: dishwashing, laundry, and cleaning, without harming aquatic ecosystems when released into wastewater. Beyond its versatility, the soap saves resources by replacing liquid products and eliminating the need for plastic bottles. Its solid form ensures no unnecessary water is transported, and the packaging, made from recycled paper, can be sorted and recycled again. The soap is handmade in their soap workshop in Gothenburg.
Candles from Recycled Stearin – Time to Candle
Candles cast from 100% recycled stearin, sourced from candle stubs collected from restaurants, where wicks are reused whenever possible. A small-scale craft, with monthly collections done using an electric vehicle. Candle stubs made of wax other than stearin are sorted out and donated to sheltered workshops that make fire starters from them, creating a ripple effect. Inspired by the founder's grandmother and great-grandmother, who both reused church candle stubs to make new candles, the initiative showcases that 'there's still life in a previously extinguished flame.'
Plant Waterer – Plantstraws
Combining nature's capillary action with modern design and practicality, this elegant self-watering device for potted plants mimics the function of roots, drawing water from a reservoir via a recycled cotton string running through a metal tube and into the soil. The small-scale production takes place in Småland, and the metal tubes are made from a mix of pre-consumer waste (manufacturing scraps), post-consumer waste (recycled metal), and a small amount of primary aluminium. Form, function, and thoughtful production come together in elegant harmony.
More information:
Formex
www.formex.co.za